Start 2022 right – the car scrappage scheme explained

You might have thought car scrappage schemes were a thing of the past, but some manufacturers will still give you a healthy discount in return for your old banger.

Despite no longer being government-backed, you still get a guaranteed lump sum off a new motor and none of the hassle of trawling used cars for sale. That figure could tempt even the most budget-conscious away from a used car and into a nice shiny new one.

These scrappage schemes make most sense to those with low-value cars looking to buy a brand-new replacement with cash. At the time of writing, three manufacturers offer such a scheme in the UK, with discounts of as much as £4,000.

Just bear in mind that most will require you to have owed the car you’re handing over for a few months. There are other caveats, too, although we’ll cover those below.

Scrappage scheme eligibility 

Kia scrappage scheme

Drop your old clunker in with Kia, and you can get a £1,750 discount on the Picanto and Rio. If you prefer an SUV to a hatchback, there’s up to £2,250 off the Stonic, too.

There is one big issue with Kia’s offering, it can’t be used in conjunction with any other finance offer. We’d therefore recommend checking if buying outright works better than a monthly PCP or leasing deal.

If you are buying as a long-term ownership proposition, Kias makes an awful lot of sense. They tend to be reliable, and all models get an impressive seven-year warranty.

 Lexus scrappage scheme

If your circumstances have suddenly changed, or you only change your luxury car every ten years or so, Lexus is offering big discounts on its range of saloons and SUVs. The brand is famous for its reliability, so will suit those who tend to hold on to their cars for a good few years.

There’s up to £4,000 off the ES saloon, along with the NX, RX, and RX-L SUVs. If you want something smaller, the Lexus UX small SUV gets a £3,500 discount. To qualify, you must have owned the car you’re trading in for at least six months.

Renault scrappage scheme

Renault’s ‘new for old’ offer isn’t a straightforward scrappage scheme, but it’s still well worth including on this list. It’s available on most of the range and there are thousands to be saved when you trade your old clunker in.

Discounts vary depending on the engine you’ve chosen, with the biggest saving to be found on the Captur. Opt for this small SUV and you’ll get up to £3,000 off. The Zoe electric car, Megane hatchback, and Kadjar family SUV have savings of up to £2,250, with the Clio supermini receiving £2,000 off.

Even one of Renault’s newest models, the Arkana coupe SUV gets in on the action, with up to £1,500 off. As with most of the range, it gets the option of a punchy turbocharged petrol engine or an efficient hybrid system.